In today’s tight labor market, candidates seek more than just a competitive salary, benefits, bonus and stock options; they also want a work environment that will offer them room for personal growth and responsibility, where they can continually be challenged in their professional career. The X and Y genre’s want the chance to work on stimulating projects within a dynamic team.

Positioning your organization to be competitive is critical in attracting and retaining employees. Here are a few that will elevate you as an employer of choice:

• Flexible work hours
• Flexible works hours to allow a Friday a month off
• Reimbursement for continuing education,
• Company funded retirement plans
• Incentive bonus (could be quarterly or annually)
• Closing the office between Christmas and New Year’s
• Fun Social events sponsored by the company
• Award Programs-Peer to Peer Recognition
• Free Public transportation
• Parking Allowance
• Free Membership fees for a national or local trade association.
• Health and Wellness account (gym membership)

Top performers who put forth the effort and go the extra mile are the kind of employees your firm should seek to retain. Tying these employees to your company is the difference between being profitable and growing the company or just breaking even.

Remember top talent is hard to find, once you have hired them, hold onto them, create a work environment where employees will want to stay and contribute to the firm. Your competition is searching for the same kind of expertise and is ready to lure them away.

Why Writing a Job Description is Critical in Attracting Top Talent:

It provides an outline of the company, its goals, mission statement, core values, strategy and what is expected of the individual in the role. It also creates a guideline for questions for both to ask during the interview process, this in turn helps assess the skill set that individual brings and what is actually required in the role to determine if you have the right fit.

Helpful Hints in Writing A job Description to Recruit Top Talent

Make sure you have a description of the company’s goals, vision and growth strategy and how the company plans to achieve these matrixes.

What the expectations are for this individual, what you want them to accomplish in the first 90 days, 6 months, one year and 2 years of their employment.

What and who are they responsible for on a daily basis.

Who is their direct supervisor and their role within the company.

What skill set is needed to be successful in this role-both technical and soft skills.

Is there travel required and if so, how much.

What will be the biggest challenge in the first 180 days with this role?

What is the compensation package? Include benefits, potential incentives, sign on bonus, reimbursement for relocation.

What makes you stand out compared to your competitors and what makes the firm special and why they should consider joining the organization.